A 41-year-old man was accused by the National Republican Guard (GNR) for the crime of abandoning a companion animal, at Barragem do Caldeirão, in the municipality of Guarda, that security force reported today.
The situation occurred in December 2024 and the suspect was identified and accused by the Environmental Crimes and Administrative Offenses Investigation Unit (NICCOA) of the Territorial Command of GNR da Guarda.
“Following an incident recorded in December 2024, widely publicized and related to the rescue of a dog adrift on an improvised raft in the Caldeirão Dam, members of NICCOA da Guarda began investigations, as the location was not compatible with the spontaneous presence of a companion animal, raising well-founded suspicions of abandonment”, explained the GNR in a statement sent to the Lusa agency.
Dog was left in “imminent danger to life”
The investigations revealed that “the dog had been deliberately thrown into the reservoir by its owner, having been left in a situation of imminent danger to its life”.
“This circumstance did not result in a tragic outcome due to the prompt and effective intervention of the Guarda Volunteer Firefighters, who successfully rescued the animal.”
The NICCOA of GNR da Guarda ended up locating and identifying the suspect, who was named a defendant on January 6, 2025.
“The facts were communicated to the Judicial Court of Guarda, which convicted the man of committing the crime of abandoning a companion animal, imposing a sentence of 130 hours of work on behalf of the community”, said the GNR Territorial Command.
He recalled that the abandonment of animals is a crime punishable by law and reinforced the call for respect for animal rights, reiterating his commitment to animal protection and welfare.
Also read:
